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5 of the best TV-related apps

Got a smartphone? Like watching telly? Join the club, square eyes – and then whack these apps on your blower to enhance your gogglebox experience

24 May 2011/12:49BST

SlingPlayer Mobile £18 (iOS, Android, WP7, BB, WebOS

Hook up a Slingbox to your living room TV and router and you can "sling" TV to your smartphone, no matter where you are in the world – you just need a 3G or Wi-Fi connection. You can change channels and even control your PVR, set recordings and watch stuff you’ve already recorded.

BBC iPlayerFree (iPad, Android 2.2)

Yes, you can probably already use the BBC’s catch-up service through your phone’s web browser, but this app streamlines the experience nicely and adds live TV and radio streaming. And it’s free, so it’s not like you’re ending up out of pocket by installing it.

Gear4 UnityRemote £100 (iOS)

As the name suggests, UnityRemote turns your iOS device into a fuly customisable universal remote capable of taking control of all your AV kit: hi-fi, TV, Blu-ray, you name it. While the app itself is gratis, you’ll need to invest in a box to detect the signal – hence the £100 outlay.

Elgato Tivizen £150, (iOS)

Another free app which requires you buy a separate box, Tivizen is a mobile Freeview tuner which transmits pictures to your iPhone or iPad via its own private Wi-Fi hotspot – no web connection required. You can even timeshift and record live TV.

TVUPlayer £3 (iOS)

Offers access (via Wi-Fi, not 3G) to thousands of worldwide TV channels through your iOS device. There may be a ton of nonsense you’ll never access on there, but on the whole it’s well organised and particularly useful if you want to watch international sports that aren’t on British TV.